The Royal Correspondent for the BBC, Peter Hunt, has tweeted that the Queen's health problems are, 'nothing serious' as she was forced to cancel her appearance at a major service celebrating the Commonwealth as she is continuing to recover from her recent bout of gastroenteritis:

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The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey today, after Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen would not attend due to her continuing recovery from her recent illness.

At a Commonwealth event on Monday, the Queen will sign a charter agreed upon by the 54 members of the Commonwealth.

The Queen, as in all matters, is apolitical but is signing the document in her capacity as head of the Commonwealth.

– Buckingham Palace spokesman

The Mail on Sunday quoted one Royal Household source as saying: "The Queen takes her Commonwealth role very seriously. She has discussed the charter in detail with her advisers and understands it in full."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said the government has received final consent from all Commonwealth realms to press ahead with a bill ending discrimination against women in the succession to the British throne.